4A Lockport Sectional: Sandburg Uses Long Ball To Beat Lincoln-Way East

LOCKPORT, IL - The four seeded Sandburg Eagles knocked off the top seed, Lincoln-Way East, in the Lockport Sectional on Thursday by a final of 5-2. The win moves Sandburg to to 26-6 on the year and a bid for a Sectional Championship on Saturday.

Sandburg, the No. 4 ranked team in the state, was led by the long ball. In fact five of the seven total runs scored in the game by both teams came via five solo home runs.

Lincoln-Way East sent their ace, Cole Kirschsiepper to mound, a tall task to concur for the Eagles. Kirschsiepper retired the first two batters of the game with relative ease, then Ryan Hampe ripped a line drive right at right-fielder Julian Everett who seemed to misjudge the baseball tipping off his glove for a two base error. With Hampe at second base, Andrew Tenison hit a towering pop up on the infield that could not be handled, scoring Hampe.

Trailing a run, the Griffins tied things up in the second with a solo home run off the bat of Joey Selvaggio, a recurring theme in this contest.

Ryan Hampe answered for Sandburg in the third with a solo home run of his own, a bullet to left field, giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead after three innings.

In the fourth, Lincoln-Way East got another solo shot to tie again a 2-2. Jake Tencza hit a towering shot to right that kept carrying out of the yard and getting the Griffins back in business.

It was Evan Tenuta’s turn in the fifth. Known more for his prowess on the mound, Tenuta drove a laser to right field that stayed up just long enough to carry the fence and ultimately driving in the Eagles winning run.

Sandburg would add insurance runs in the sixth and seventh. Tommy Windt drove in an RBI with a single to left, and Jimmy Rybarczyk ended the scoring fitting fashion, with a solo home run and a final score of 5-2.

With the win, Sandburg moves on the Sectional Championship on Saturday to face the winner of Marist and Andrew, which was postponed in the bottom of the third with Marist winning 4-0. Play in that game will resume on Friday at 4:00pm.

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